The Chicago Bears are on the clock.
With the NFL playoff field set, teams who didn’t qualify shift gears to offseason mode on Monday, including preparation for the April 27 draft. The first pick in the draft belongs to the Bears for the first time since 1947.
The Houston Texans won in dramatic fashion over the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday to forfeit the top spot. Houston picks second, followed by the Arizona Cardinals and Colts.
The order for the first 18 selections in the draft became official Sunday night, when the Green Bay Packers lost to the Detroit Lions to secure a postseason ticket for the Seattle Seahawks. Playoff teams are slotted in the draft order upon elimination from the postseason.
As usual, quarterbacks could be coveted early. Among the teams with a long-term need at quarterback are seven teams with top-10 picks — Houston, Seattle, Indianapolis, Detroit, Las Vegas, Atlanta and Carolina.
Alabama’s Bryce Young, Ohio State’s CJ Stroud and Kentucky’s Will Levis are projected as the top passers available in the 2023 draft.
Given the demand for QBs, the Bears could be ripe for a trade with former Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields seemingly entrenched as their starter. Under second-year GM Ryan Poles, Chicago is projected to have a league-high $100 million in salary cap space this offseason.
Trade compensation assures three playoff teams the opportunity to make selections in the top 10 in 2023. The Lions have the sixth pick courtesy of the Matthew Stafford trade with the Los Angeles Rams and are one spot behind the Seahawks, who have the fifth pick by way of Denver. The Broncos traded their 2023 first-round pick to the Seahawks to acquire Russell Wilson in March 2022.
The Lions also pick 18th.
The 10th pick went to the NFC No. 1 seed Philadelphia as trade payment from the New Orleans Saints.
Trading Deshaun Watson to the Cleveland Browns in 2022 also netted the Texans an extra first-round pick (No. 12 overall) in April.
2023 NFL Draft order (picks 19-32 determined by playoff results):
1) Chicago Bears
2) Houston Texans
3) Arizona Cardinals
4) Indianapolis Colts
5) Seattle Seahawks (via DEN)
6) Detroit Lions (via LAR)
7) Las Vegas Raiders
8) Atlanta Falcons
9) Carolina Panthers
10) Philadelphia Eagles (via NO)
11) Tennessee Titans
12) Houston Texans (via CLE)
13) New York Jets
14) New England Patriots
15) Green Bay Packers
16) Washington Commanders
17) Pittsburgh Steelers
18) Detroit Lions